Nightmare in the Kitchen
by Fuzzyhamish
Summary: Harry Potter was adopted by Severus Snape a year ago and now he's decided he wants to celebrate, but things do not go as planned.


Harry Potter rolled up the sleeves of his grey school sweater and tossed his tie over the sofa. He was going to make dinner for him and his adoptive father, Snape. He had adopted him exactly one year ago today, and although they both were busy with school the entire day, Harry still wanted to do something special. He had been contemplating what to make the entire day and finally, during History of Magic, when Professor Binns had mentioned something about roasting witches alive, Harry got the idea to make a roast. He had cooked for the Dursley's before, so he knew what he was doing.

Padding over to the small kitchen in Snape's private rooms at Hogwarts, Harry opened one of the cupboards, only to find it practically empty. He pulled open another cupboard, and then another, but they were all bare. Harry sighed. How was he to make them dinner without any food?

'Linny?' He said to the air.

There was a small pop, and the little house elf appeared.

'What cans Linny do for yous sir?' she squeaked. The elf was so excited to be there, she was hopping up and down.

'Hi Linny, I was wondering if you could find me the ingredients I would need to make a roast.' Linny's face wrinkled in confusion. 'It's for Snape.' he added, giving her his best puppy face. The elf's face cleared, and she nodded enthusiastically, clapped her hands, and then apparated away. Harry stood there for a few minutes, wondering how one was supposed to set a table, when Linny popped back into the room, a tray loaded with cans and parcels floating behind her.

'Your ingredients sir.' Linny chirped, bowing low. Then with a loud CRACK, she vanished.

Harry looked through everything, singing Linny's praise as he pulled out a large hunk of meat, sacks of vegetables, packages of spices, and best of all a bottle of red wine. Then got straight to work. He started by making a basic sauce to go on the roast, using red wine, olive oil, and spices, then dices up the vegetables. He placed the meat in the dish and shoved the whole thing in the gas oven, putting it on the highest heat. Harry knew a proper roast was supposed to cook for a few hours until it was ready, but he didn't have the time. Snape would be back soon and he wanted it to be ready before he got home. He hoped that making it hotter would make the meat cook faster.

Sitting at the worn round table in the kitchen waiting for it to cook, Harry thought of this past year. Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban and was now hunting him down. Harry hadn't paid much attention to this because he knew he would be at Hogwarts and would be safe. That was, until he snuck out to Hogsmeade and overheard Professor Mcgonagall say that Black had been the one to betray his parents to Voldemort. For the first time in his life, Harry felt the urge to kill. He was so livid that he barely heard Snape yelling at him for leaving the safety of the castle. Snape, of course, noticed something was wrong and eventually got the truth out of Harry. They had spent a few hours talking about it, during which he convinced him not to go looking for Black. Harry was no longer as angry, but he would have been lying if he said he didn't want the man dead, or at least back with the Dementors. Harry had never had someone to talk to about how he was feeling before Snape and now, standing in the kitchen, Harry felt a feeling of gratitude spread through him, at the thought of everything Snape had done for him.

He heard heavy footsteps approaching and jumped up when the door opened. Snape walked in, a frown on his face, as he took in the mess of pots and pans all over his kitchen.

'Care to explain?' he asked, raising a slim eyebrow at Harry.

Harry gave him a big smile to, hopefully, soften him up. Harry knew how much the man hated mess. 'I made us dinner...to..er...celebrate...you know, the adoption.' Harry peered up at Snape through his fringe, trying to gauge his reaction.

'And this required you to make the kitchen look as if a stampede of hippogriffs came through?' Snape drawled.

'Yeah...well...' Harry mumbled, scrambling to find some excuse. He looked up just in time too see Snape smirking, amusement in his black eyes.

'Hey!' Harry huffed. He hated when Snape did that, making him think he was in trouble when he wasn't.

Snape walked by him and ruffled his already messy hair, then sat down in the black winged arm chair by the fire. 'Come sit. Tell me, how was your day?' Severus pointed to the sofa opposite his chair.

Harry walked over and plopped down on the sofa, laying his head on the smooth armrest.

'Fine I guess. Ron and Hermione still won't talk to each other.' Harry sighed, 'Again.'

'Well Mr. Weasley certainly has the right to be upset. His familiar was eaten not too long ago.' Snape said.

'I know. I think Hermione should just apologise and be done with it so we can all be friends again.' Harry huffed, as he absent mindedly picked at a loose thread from the couch.

Snape hmmed.

'Anyway, never mind that, how was your day? Anything exciting happen?' Harry asked.

'Well not quite, however Lupin tells me your private lessons have come to a close.' Snape replied. Harry knew that was an invitation to talk about it if he wanted to.

'Yeah well I can finally do the patronus charm so I don't really need them anymore.' Harry shrugged his shoulders.

'True. Well besides that my day wasn't very interesting. Except after lunch, when I had this brat in my class.' Snape teased. Harry looked up at him and saw he was smirking, his eyebrows raised.

'Meanie.' He gave in to the childish urge and stuck his tongue out.

Snape chuckled, and pulled out a thick book to read. Harry lay back on the couch, letting his thoughts flit about. This was usually how they passed their time until dinner, in quiet companionship.

Harry wasn't sure how much time had passed. He lifted his head and saw Snape reading, fully engrossed in his thick tome. Harry pulled in a big breath through his nose and froze, as the smell of burning reached him. What was on fire? His eyes darted all over, until they fell on the oven that had pouring out clouds of smoke. His roast! Harry jumped up from the couch and ran over to the oven. He yanked it open, and was about to pull out the now smoking roast when a voice behind him yelled,

'Gloves Harry!'

'Right!' He pulled out a pair of green and silver gloves (classic) from Snape's drawer and pulled out the blackened roast. He set it down on one of the marble counters and waved a hand over it, trying to clear the smoke, but there was far too much of it. He couldn't breathe. Snape walked up behind him, and with a flick of his wand, the smoke vanished.

'I see we can take cooking off the list of your talents.' his adoptive father drawled.

Harry's shoulders sagged. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to burn it.' he mumbled, as he pulled off the gloves and slammed them back into the drawer moodily.

Harry heard him sigh. 'I know. It's alright, why don't I ask Linny to make us a pizza hmm?'

Harry looked up at him cautiously. 'You're not mad?'

'Nope.'

He sighed with relief.' Yeah alright I like pizza, but keep your creepy pineapple on your half.'

'It happens to be very savory if only you would try it.' Snape smirked.

'Pineapples are for spongebob not pizza.'

'Spongebob?' Snape questioned.

Harry rolled his eyes. 'Muggle thing, nevermind.'

Harry and Snape ate their dinner quietly, then left the table, Snape going off to mark some fifth year essays, and Harry to do his homework. By the time ten thirty rolled around Harry was pulling back the covers of his bed in Snape's quarters. He normally slept up in Gryffindor Tower, but tonight he felt to tired to climb all the way up the many stairs. Harry loved his bed down here anyway. It was huge, soft, and the most comfortable thing he had ever slept on.

Having already shut off the lights, Harry climbed under the covers and lay down, putting his glasses on the table beside his bed. He was just dozing off when he heard his door being opened.

'Goodnight Harry.' Snape whispered. 'Pleasant dreams.'

'Goodnight.' Harry yawned, before drifting off into sleep.

Harry dreamed he was playing Quidditch against Hufflepuff. He spotted the golden snitch, and tore after it, when a thousand Dementors suddenly came up all around him. Harry's heart froze in fear, and a cold chill swept over his body. His wand slipped from his fingers as they came closer, falling uselessly to the ground. He could hear his mother screaming and pleading with Voldemort. Then the dream changed, and it was no longer Lily on the ground, but Snape, his soul being sucked out by the Dementors, as Voldemort laughed behind him.

Harry woke with a start, his breath coming out in frantic pants. His body was soaked with sweat and his shirt clung to him. Shaking, he shoved his glasses on, eyes darting around the room, making sure he was safe. He'd had nightmares before, but that had been much worse than any of the others. Harry tried to stop thinking about it, but every shadow and every creak made him jump. He was shaking so hard, there was no way he could fall back to sleep like this unless he checked to make sure nothing was there.

Finally, summoning his courage, he got up slowly, picked up his wand, and cast _Lumos,_ lighting up the room. There was nothing there. Harry relaxed, and was about to go back to bed, when he heard a huge clap of thunder, making him jump and drop his wand. He turned hesitantly towards the window looked out. Suddenly there was a flash of lightening, and Harry swore he saw a face through the glass. He ran out of the room and fled down the hall, until came up to Snape's door and pushed it open. He could see the lump of his body on the bed and he walked towards it. Harry poked him in the arm and Snape's eyes flew open and groped for his wand. Harry gasped. Snape's head turned towards him and Harry saw his shoulders relax when he saw who it was.

'Harry? What's wrong?' Snape's asked, his voice very low.

'I..er..Can I...would it be okay..uhhh.' Harry suddenly felt very stupid. What kind of thirteen year old was afraid of a storm?

But it seemed Snape understood as he slid to the other of the bed and pulled down the comforter, patting it with his hand.

'Hop in Harry.' he said gently.

Harry didn't need anymore invitation than that. He climbed into the bed and snuggled into the soft pillow. He felt and arm pull him sideways as Snape laid his head on his chest, a comforting arm around him. Harry sighed in contentment and closed his eyes. He wasn't scared anymore.

'Goodnight son. I love you.' He heard Snape whisper, as he pulled him in closer.

Harry felt himself smile. 'Goodnight Dad. I love you to.'


End file.
